Stereo geometry reconstruction in image processing can be done using two images from two perspectives. Determining correspondence from two views has probabilistic uncertainties, is prone to error and, being based on search, is computationally expensive. Since two views provide no statistical redundancy to facilitate accuracy and precision in estimation, binocular stereo processing leads to solutions that do not satisfy quality requirements for scenes exhibiting complexity. Once a three-dimensional model is created, uncertainty in the correspondence of the model to the images makes it unreliable to use image data to generate a texture to be applied to the model. The present disclosure describes systems and methods to utilize redundancy to reduce uncertainty, reduce errors, reduce computational expense, increase accuracy and precision, and increase the quality of solutions.
The results of stereo image processing can be point clouds, which are sets of independent single estimates in three-dimensional space. Point cloud representations lead to scene descriptions that are disjoint, statistically noisy, and not representative of the smooth and continuous nature of our world or the objects in it. Processing point clouds with an averaging and filtering process to derive more continuous descriptions can result in errors, since this processing is not based on real world constraints. Point clouds cause problems when mapping image data as a texture, since a texture is continuous by nature but a point cloud is discrete. The present disclosure describes systems and methods for representing the results of stereo image processing using connected elements that provide a description of the relationship between estimates and their neighbors in three-dimensional space that is representative of the smooth and continuous nature of the world and the objects in it. This continuous nature is also better suited to mapping image data onto the model as a texture.
Like reference numbers and designations in the various drawings indicate like elements.